presence

American  

[prez-uhns] / ˈprɛz əns /

noun

• presences
  plural

1. the state or fact of being present, as with others or in a place.

   Antonyms:

   absence

2. attendance or company.

   Your presence is requested.

3. immediate vicinity; proximity.

   in the presence of witnesses.

   Synonyms:

   neighborhood

4. the military or economic power of a country as reflected abroad by the stationing of its troops, sale of its goods, etc..

   the American military presence in Europe;

   the Japanese presence in the U.S. consumer market.

5. Chiefly British. the immediate personal vicinity of a great personage giving audience or reception.

   summoned to her presence.

6. the ability to project a sense of ease, poise, or self-assurance, especially the quality or manner of a person's bearing before an audience.

   The speaker had a good deal of stage presence.

   Synonyms:

   mien, carriage

7. personal appearance or bearing, especially of a dignified or imposing kind.

   a man of fine presence.

8. a person, especially of noteworthy appearance or compelling personality.

   He is a real presence, even at a private party.

9. a divine or supernatural spirit felt to be present.

   He felt a presence with him in the room.

10. British Obsolete. presence chamber.

---

presence British  

/ ˈprɛzəns /

noun

1. the state or fact of being present

2. the immediate proximity of a person or thing

3. personal appearance or bearing, esp of a dignified nature

4. an imposing or dignified personality

5. an invisible spirit felt to be nearby

6. electronics a recording control that boosts mid-range frequencies

7. (of a recording) a quality that gives the impression that the listener is in the presence of the original source of the sound

8. obsolete assembly or company

9. obsolete short for presence chamber

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpresence
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• presences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of presence

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin praesentia; see present ¹, -ence

Explanation

Presence is the state of being somewhere. When you get an invitation that reads "Your presence is requested,” you are being asked to show up. Your style of being there — your demeanor or bearing — is also your presence. Usually, presence is a physical thing. Since the 1600s, the word has also meant something otherwordly, a spiritual or divine presence. If you suddenly feel a weird presence in the room, perhaps it's a ghost . . . or just the cat. Use the phrase "presence of mind" to indicate when someone is quick-witted or just paying attention. While your job washing skyscraper windows doesn't require a lot of brain work, it's a good idea to keep your presence of mind while working.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

presence presences

Its presence suggests that Lady 56 may have completed one of medieval Europe's most famous pilgrimages, traveling thousands of kilometers across the continent to the western edge of Christian Europe before eventually returning home.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026

Pinto arrived with members of his witness protection team, two of whom stayed in the courtroom throughout the hearing, along with an armed police presence.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

“Leo wants to reawaken those Christian roots, those seedlings. He wants to nourish that. His presence is intended to do that,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

Though based in Washington, Funko has a large presence in L.A., where most of its senior leadership is based.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

He found his wife convinced that she was speaking to an invisible presence from beyond the grave.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Along with goalkeeper Ben Wilson, the trio have been motivating presences in the dressing room and on the touchline, highlighting the squad strength and Lampard's people management skills.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

And his portraits convey persuasive presences reminiscent of Goya.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2025

But smaller firms without global presences will be out of luck.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025

Both Hinkle and Gonazález gamely play other characters, but these sketched presences compound the general impression of a comic world drawn without much nuance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2025

The Framers of the Constitution, like most North American colonists, lived at a time when Indians were large presences in their lives—ones that naturally influenced their ideas and actions.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• behavior
• personality